Slide type foldable seat capable of being kicked up

Abstract

In a seat in which the seat is placed so as to be freely moved by a slide rail 4, a striker lock 7 retained and mounted to a striker 8 standing up from a vehicle body floor F is provided in a lower portion close to a rear end of a lower rail 4 b , and the seat is placed so as to be freely kicked up from a rear portion side to an upper side in a folded state around a supporting shaft 6 axially supporting and pivoting a front end side of the lower rail 4 b corresponding to a supporting point, there is provided a switching mechanism 10 which makes it impossible to unlock the striker lock 7 by an operation lever when the seat is kept at a front seated position, and makes it possible to lock the striker lock 7 by the operation lever when the seat is moved to a predetermined rear position, whereby it is possible to mechanically execute a step of moving the seat to the predetermined position in the rear side within the vehicle, thereafter unlocking the striker lock 7 and kicking up the seat.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A slide type foldable seat for a vehicle, said vehicle having a vehicle body floor and stand leg portions mounted to said vehicle body floor so as to stand up from said vehicle body floor; said seat comprising: 
       a seat cushion;  
       slide rail means including a pair of upper rail members and a pair of lower rail members;  
       said upper rail members being attached to a lower portion of said seat cushion and slidably supported to said lower rail member;  
       said lower rail members having front end portions and rear end portions;  
       said lower rail members being pivotally supported at said front end portions thereof to said stand leg portions by first supporting shafts, so that said seat can be pivoted around said first supporting shafts together with said upper and lower rail members;  
       cooperating means for causing said lower rail member to be releasably locked with respect to said vehicle body floor and preventing pivotal movement of said seat around said first supporting shafts;  
       said cooperating means comprising striker lock means provided at portions of said lower rail members which are close to said rear end portions of said lower rail members, and strikers mounted to said vehicle body floor so as to stand up from said vehicle body floor;  
       said striker lock means being adapted to be releasably engaged with said strikers;  
       locking means for causing said upper rail members to be releasably locked with respect to said lower rail members and preventing said upper rail members from being slid along said lower rail members;  
       operating means for releasing said striker lock means from said striker and allowing said seat to be pivoted around said first supporting shaft together with said upper and lower rail members; and  
       switching means mounted on said lower portion of said seat cushion for preventing said operating means from being operated so as to cause said striker lock means to be released from said strikers when said seat is in a forward position, and for switching a state of said operating means to a state where said operating means can be operated so as to cause said striker lock means to be released from said strikers when said seat is moved to a predetermined rearward position.  
     
     
       2. A slide type foldable seat for a vehicle, according to  claim 1 , wherein said switching means comprises a placing plate serving as a base of said switching means and mounted on said lower portion of said seat cushion; 
       a first rotary plate acting as said operating means;  
       a second rotary plate;  
       said first rotary plate and said second rotary plate being pivotally supported to said placing plate by a second supporting shaft so as to be opposed to one another;  
       a third rotary plate;  
       a fourth rotary plate;  
       said third rotary plate and said fourth rotary plate being pivotally supported to said second rotary plate by a third supporting shaft so as to be opposed to one another;  
       a tension coil spring stretched between said third rotary plate and said fourth rotary plate;  
       a first return coil spring stretched between said placing plate and said first rotary plate;  
       a second return coil spring stretched between said second rotary plate and said fourth rotary plate;  
       said first rotary plate having a first guide hole of a substantially L-shape;  
       said first guide hole having a first circular arc-shaped hole portion around said second supporting shaft and a second circular arc-shaped hole portion around said third supporting shaft;  
       said first circular arc-shaped hole portion and said second circular arc-shaped hole portion being continuously connected to each other;  
       said second rotary plate having a second guide hole of a substantially circular arc-shape extending so as to be aligned with said second circular arc-shaped hole portion of said first rotary plate;  
       said third rotary plate provided with a slide pin;  
       said slide pin being projected from said third rotary plate and received in a middle point between said first circular hole portion and said second circular hole portion of said first rotary plate through said second guide hole of said second rotary plate;  
       first traction wires connected between said first rotary plate and said striker lock means; and  
       a second traction wire connected between said fourth rotary plate and one of said upper rail members;  
       wherein when said second traction wire is drawn by rearward movement of said seat, said third and fourth rotary plates are swung and rotated around said third supporting shaft and said slide pin projecting from said third rotary plate into said first guide hole of said first rotary plate is moved to an end of said second circular arc-shaped hole portion of said first rotary plate, and said guide pin is held by said second circular arc-shaped hole portion of said first rotary plate and said second guide hole of said second rotary plate, whereby said first rotary plate is swung while pulling said first traction wires and switched to a state where said first rotary plate can be operated so as to cause said striker lock means to be released from said strikers; and  
       wherein when said seat is kept at the forward position, said second traction wire is not pulled, so that said first rotary plate is kept in a state where it does not pull said first traction wires, even by operating said first rotary plate.  
     
     
       3. A slide type foldable seat for a vehicle, according to  claim 2 , wherein said striker lock means comprises side plate means attached to said lower rail members and provided with downward U-shaped receiver ports for receiving said strikers, hook-like latches pivotally supported to said side plate means for releasably engaging said strikers, cam-like ratchets pivotally supported to said side plate means for stopping said latches, first springs urging said latches in such a direction that said latches are disengaged from said strikers, and second springs urging said ratchets in such a direction that said ratchets are engaged with said latches, said first traction wires being connected to said ratchets. 
     
     
       4. A slide type foldable seat for a vehicle, according to  claim 2 , wherein the one of said upper rail members is provided with a wire pulling mechanism, said wire pulling mechanism comprising a protruding plate mounted to a side portion of the one of said upper rail members, said protruding plate having an elongated hole extending in such a direction that said upper rail members are slid along said lower rail members, a slide plate provided with a pair of supporting pins, said slide plate being supported to said protruding plate by causing said supporting pins to be slidably engaged with said elongated hole, and a stopper piece adapted to be brought into contact with one of said supporting pins of said slide plate immediately before a rearward movement dead point of said seat, said stopper piece standing up from one of said lower rail members which mates with the one of said upper rail members, said second traction wire being connected to said slide plate. 
     
     
       5. A slide type foldable seat for a vehicle, according to  claim 1  or  2 , further including a strap for pulling said operating means, said strap being drawn from said operating means. 
     
     
       6. A slide type foldable seat for a vehicle, according to  claim 5 , wherein said seat cushion is provided at said lower portion thereof with a strap holder, said strap being inserted through said strap holder and drawn out to the external side. 
     
     
       7. A slide type foldable seat for a vehicle, according to  claim 6 , wherein said strap holder includes a supporting frame of a substantially quadrilateral plan shape mounted on said lower portion of said seat cushion, said supporting frame being bent in a substantially L-shape as viewed from the side, a guide shaft bridged between middle portions of both sides of said supporting frame, said guide shaft being in parallel to a lower horizontal portion of said supporting frame and spaced apart from said lower horizontal portion of said supporting frame at a space through which said strap is inserted. 
     
     
       8. A slide type foldable seat for a vehicle, according to  claim 7 , wherein said strap is provided with a stopper pin for preventing said strap from being shifted inwardly from said space between said supporting frame and said guide shaft. 
     
     
       9. A slide type foldable seat for a vehicle, according to  claim 1 , further including spring means mounted on said first supporting shafts for causing said seat to be automatically pivoted around said first supporting shafts when said striker lock means are released from said strikers. 
     
     
       10. A slide type foldable seat for a vehicle, according to  claim 1 , further including spring means mounted on said first supporting shafts for causing said seat to be automatically pivoted around said first supporting shafts when said striker lock means are released from said strikers, and a speed reduction damper mounted on one of said first supporting shafts for restricting a pivotal movement speed of said seat. 
     
     
       11. A slide type foldable seat for a vehicle, according to  claim 1 , further including elastic pads provided at a front side of said seat cushion, said elastic pads being adapted to be brought into contact with said stand leg portions so as to prevent shock from being transmitted to said seat when said seat is kicked up around said supporting shafts. 
     
     
       12. A slide type foldable seat for a vehicle, according to  claim 1 , further including elastic pads provided at a front side of said seat cushion, said elastic pads being adapted to be brought into contact with said stand leg portions so as to prevent shock from being transmitted to said seat when said seat is kicked up around said first supporting shafts, and spacer pads provided at said stand leg portions, said spacer pads being adapted to be brought into contact with said elastic pads so as to adjust the kick-up attitude of said seat, when said seat is kicked up around said first supporting shafts. 
     
     
       13. A slide type foldable seat for a vehicle, according to  claim 1 , further including an operating lever coupled to said upper rail members for operating said locking means so as to cause said upper rail members to be released from said lower rail members, and wherein said locking means comprises lock plates pivotally supported to said upper rail members, said lock plates being provided with retainer pieces projecting laterally from said lock plates, said retainer pieces being formed with a plurality of receiving holes, spring means for urging said lock plates upward, and a plurality of protruding teeth provided at said lower rail members, said upper rail members being adapted to be locked with respect to said lower rail members by engagement of said receiving holes with said protruding teeth. 
     
     
       14. A slide type foldable seat for a vehicle, according to  claim 3 , further including stopper mechanisms for preventing said receiving holes of said retainer pieces from accidentally being disengaged from said protruding teeth, and wherein said striker lock means comprises side plate means attached to said lower rail members and provided with downward U-shaped receiver ports for receiving said strikers, hook-like latches pivotally supported to said side plate means for releasably engaging said strikers, cam-like ratchets pivotally supported to said side plate means for stopping said latches, first springs urging said latches in such a direction that said latches are disengaged from said strikers, and second springs urging said ratchets in such a direction that said ratchets are engaged with said latches, said stopper mechanisms comprising protruding pieces provided at said lock plates, stopper pieces pivotally supported to said lower rail members, said protruding pieces being adapted to be brought into contact with said protruding pieces, to thereby prevent said receiving holes of said retainer pieces from accidentally being disengaged from said protruding teeth, and connection rods interconnecting said stopper pieces and said ratchets. 
     
     
       15. A slide type foldable seat for a vehicle, according to  claim 13  or  14 , wherein said operating lever extends toward a front side of said seat cushion from said upper rail members.